The REAL BBC rich list – from comedian’s £2.2m payday to millionaire Strictly stars missing from official salary figures
IF you were staggered by the amounts earned by the BBC’s big names last week, then prepare for your jaw to drop at the REAL rich list behind the Corporation.
Last week a raft of salaries were revealed as part of the BBC’s annual report.
It was topped by Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker with a salary between £1,350,000 to £1,354,999 followed by radio host Zoe Ball at £950,000 to £954,999
But several stars at the helm of some of its biggest shows were conspicuous in their absence.
That is because BBC Studios, which is the commercial arm of the corporation, does not have to release the salaries of its own stars.
And many BBC names make money outside of the corporation, through production companies and side hustles as brand ambassadors.
So how much did the top Beeb stars rake in last year?
Here, we look into the businesses of the likes of Tess Daly, Graham Norton, and Shirley Ballas to determine how much they banked.
Michael McIntyre – £2.6m a year
As one of the country’s biggest comedians, Michael McIntyre‘s net worth is pegged at a staggering £80million, according to OK!
Michael currently hosts The Wheel, a game show concept he says he came up with while in the bathroom.
It has been a ratings winner and has a primetime schedule on Saturday evenings on BBC One.
The star, 48, has a lot to show for his incredible fortune – in 2020, it was reported that he had splashed £10million on a second luxury home in Hampstead, London.
And he keeps adding to his wealth. Records from his company, Breachcroft Ltd showed that its reserves increased by £2,106,778 in 2022 to £3,246,647.
Michael paid the taxman £494,030, which means that he made a profit of £2,600,157.
Graham Norton – £2.2m
Graham Norton is one of the biggest BBC stars and has been fronting his own hugely popular talk show since 2007.
He also serves as BBC’s commentator for the Eurovision Song Contest, a position he has held since 2009.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Graham, 61, has an estimated £30million fortune
His business dealings for his firm, So Television Ltd, show that he made £2,236,480. He was paid in presenter and production fees.
He also made some money from royalties.
Claudia Winkleman – £916,352
Claudia Winkleman has been a staple on BBC for several years now.
She has been one of the hosts of Strictly Come Dancing since 2010 and also serves as a presenter on Traitors, which has become one of BBC One’s biggest shows.
Claudia, 52, used to present the Saturday mid-morning show on BBC Radio 2.
Records show that her firm, Little Owl Productions Ltd’s reserves increased by £122,196 last year to £1,047,234. She paid a corporation tax of £174,107, which suggests it made a profit of £916,352.
Richard Osman – £819,757
Richard Osman‘s work with the BBC has been extensive. Currently, he presents the quiz show Pointless, which he created.
The 53-year-old has also hosted Two Tribes and Richard Osman’s House of Games. He has served as team captain for comedy panel shows such as Insert Name Here and The Fake News Show.
Away from the BBC he is also the best-selling author of six crime novels.
He owns Six Seven Entertainment, which saw reserves increase by £451,407 last year to £1,904,477.
Richard handed over £155,754 in tax, which means he pocketed a profit of £819,757.
Romesh Ranganathan – £745,300
Romesh Ranganathan, 46, is one of the most sought-after comedians in the county, with a long list of TV and radio shows.
He is a regular panellist on programmes such as The Apprentice: You’re Fired! and the Museum of Curiosity on BBC Radio 4. He has also been the host of The Weakest Link since its revival in 2021.
Romesh and his wife Leesa jointly own Vetty Ltd, which now has £2,681,702.
According to financial records, its reserves increased last year by a whopping £745,200.
Matt Baker – £691,708
Matt Baker is one of the Beeb’s longest-serving presenters.
From 1999 to 2006, he presented Blue Peter and he hosted The One Show with Alex Jones from 2011 to 2020.
Matt, 46, has fronted Countryfile since 2009 and has also made appearances on several other shows, as well as commentating on the Olympics’ gymnastic competitions.
Matt has two firms listed on Company House – Barking Dog UK and Big Circus Company Ltd.
Last year, the former saw a rise of £367,331, while the latter’s income increased by £324,377. Together, both businesses made £691,708.
Top BBC stars' 2023/24 salaries
- Gary Lineker, £1,350,000 – £1,354,999
- Zoe Ball, £950,000 – £954,999
- Huw Edwards, £475,000 – £479,999
- Greg James, £415,000 – £419,999
- Fiona Bruce, £405,000 – £409,999
- Stephen Nolan, £405,000 – £409,999
- Lauren Laverne, £395,000 – £399,999
- Alan Shearer, £380,000 – £384,999
- Nick Robinson, £345,000 – £349,999
- Naga Munchetty, £345,000 – £349,999
Shirley Ballas – £379,384
Although Shirley Ballas has had an extensive career as a ballroom dancer, she rose to national prominence when she was appointed head judge on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017.
Multiple sources say the Queen of Latin, 63, is now worth well over £4 million.
For her first series, the BBC reportedly paid Shirley £180,000 – £70,000 less than her predecessor Len Goodman.
But in 2022, The Sun reported that she now receives £500,000 per series.
She has also published a bestselling memoir and a novel, Murder on the Dance Floor, and runs a dance school in London.
Last year, Shirley’s firm, Dance With Passion, saw an increase of £201,391 to £712,904.
She paid £72,083 in corporation tax, suggesting that the company made £379,384 profit last year.
Jools Holland – £270,136
Jools Holland‘s career as a musician has spanned decades. He has also worked with some of the most influential artists of all time.
His TV career has also been a huge success. Currently, he presents the music show Later… with Jools Holland on BBC Two. It has been running since 1992.
The 66-year-old star’s company, Helicon Mountain, recorded an increase of £118,837 to £3,477,428.
His tax payment of £51,326 suggests that the company made a profit of £270,136.
Motsi Mabuse – £241,929
Before joining Strictly Come Dancing in 2019, Motsi Mabuse was a judge on its German version, Let’s Dance.
Prior to that, she was a professional dancer and has won many competitions.
According to reports, when Motsi first joined the show, she was offered a starting salary of £200,000.
Motsi has since become a brand ambassador for Weight Watchers as well as collaborating with Bravissimo on a lingerie range.
Last year, her company, Pure Mabuse Entertainment, saw an increase of £241,929 to £510,953.
Anton Du Beke – £233,251
Anton Du Beke has appeared on every series of Strictly Come Dancing since its debut in 2004 and is one of the show’s most popular stars.
In 2022, he replaced Bruno Tonioli as a judge on the show, and his wages reportedly tripled.
At the time, it was reported that he could be making up to £200,000.
Anton’s firm, 19th Hole Productions’ earnings increased by £233,251 to £376,682 last year.